Love is a Gift
by RozaBelikovXDimkaBelikov
Summary: Rose continues to try to rally enough allies to save Dimitri, all while trying to salvage her and Lissa's futures at court with the men they love.
1. I Hope You Dance

Disclaimer:

Dimitri: She doesn't own VA

Me: Can I at least borrow one _particular _character?

Dimitri: I'm sorry, I belong strictly to Roza

Me: Some girls have all the luck…

"Rose?" I blinked as I looked around the forest. That voice wasn't the normal one that went with the majority of my dreams. Lissa suddenly appeared out of the corner of my eye. "I did it Rose! Finally!" she cheered jumping up and down happily. I smiled, maybe now she'll stop throwing off my sleep patterns to make me go to sleep during her spirit practices.

"That's great Lissa," I replied. "But really, I go to sleep to get_ away_ from the rest of the world." Then again if my dreams were being occupied by Lissa or Adrian then I wouldn't be able to have nightmares again. Every night it was the same thing…

_Rain was pouring down blurring my vision and I ran through the forest. I could hear footsteps not a few yards ahead of me. I pushed my legs harder against the grassy floor, ignoring the scratches inflicted on my cheeks by the limbs just as a dark figure came into sight. _

_ "Dimitri!" I screamed as my lungs felt as if they were burning as I dropped to the ground. The silhouette stopped and turned slightly staring at me. _

_ "You can't save me Roza," he said darkly. "You failed me." _

_ "No," I whispered crawling towards him. "I can still save you, please," I begged him. He shook his head before smirking showing his bright fangs. _

_ "No, but you can still join me," he whispered crouching down to my level. I wanted to react, I wanted to fight back, hell I wanted to be able to move. My muscles felt locked into place, as if I was too tired to move one inch. _

_ "No..." I mumbled. The ends of his smirk heightened. _

_ "You make it sound like I asked," he replied and his fangs pierced the flesh of my neck. _

Every morning I would wake up screaming, probably scared the crap out of anyone around to hear me. Then again they probably just got used to my weirdness; think I was just going crazy again. Only once did someone actually come in, Alberta a couple nights ago must've been on patrol when she heard me screaming. She didn't even say anything, she just walked in and held me while I cried. I honestly can say I have never cried in front of a teacher before (unless you count Dimitri who is/was the love of my life). She never mentioned it again, (thank God) but it sort of confirmed she knew about me and Dimitri.

"Thanks for helping me out Rose," Lissa chirped grabbing me into an embrace. I laughed as I wrapped my arms around her.

"No prob, really wasn't much work, just had to fall asleep," I chuckled.

"Hey I'm going to tell Adrian, see ya when you wake up," she said happily still in an amazing mood. The entire world began to shake and then I opened my eyes staring at the red cotton pillow case directly in front of my face. I rolled over to stare at the clock, 10:32. Oh crap… I can't even catch a break on a weekend! I jumped out of bed throwing on a singlet and shorts sprinting over to the gym.

"And so you don't always have to make an outright strike, sometimes a distraction- and ladies and gentlemen the ever so late, Ms. Hathaway," Christian smirked as I unceremoniously stumbled into the room.

"Shut it Lava Boy," I grumbled. If anything his grin just got bigger.

"Whatever you say Shark Girl," he laughed. "Floors all yours." There was about five Moroi there, one of which was Jill who looked slightly like she was going to have a heart attack. Sheesh you would think I was guest starring on Ellen's show the way these kids were staring at me.

"Right so first rules of defense are…" I gave demonstrations for about half a hour trying to assess where each was and correct any mistakes. Remarkably, they were decent. At least in form, I highly doubted that much force was behind their attacks but it was something.

"So like this?" Jill asked me shyly but still excitedly.

"Close, make sure your thumb is _never _on the inside of your fist, then you would bring your arm up and direct it to hit underneath your opponent's chin," I instructed demonstrating with my own arm missing Christian's chin by centimeters. For the next hour Christian took back over trying to combine what I taught them with some magic instruction. That was quite a bit rougher. I somehow managed to get soaked, get the wind knocked out of me, and my shirt very nearly caught fire (although I somehow doubting that was an accident).

I sunk to the gym floor nursing a water bottle after the last of the 'students' had left. "So you and Belikov huh?" I very nearly spat out my water.

"How-What… Who…" I sputtered as Christian began to laugh.

"Score one for me, Rose Hathaway speechless… it _**was**_ just a guess. You would be surprised the things you can figure out after you look outside your own perspective, something you probably wouldn't know about. That and your reaction right there," he snickered. At the moment I was having conflicting reflex responses- Fight or Flight. Either run from the room or beat the crap out of him just to wipe that smirk off his face.

"Might as well add you to my list of people who know now," I grumbled trying to ignore both reflexes. "You, Adrian…"

"Wait the drunk knows?"

"Yes _Adrian_ figured it out way before you, so negative score for you. You got beat at figuring something out by a drunk. I'm pretty sure Alberta knows, and I told Lissa." His smile faltered slightly at Lissa's name. I sighed deeply, "When are you two going to cut the shit and just kiss and make up or whatever the hell you two are going to do?"

"Look things are still-"

"If I wrote out a lengthy apology full of mushy lovey dovey stuff and signed Lissa's name at the bottom would you two get back together?" I asked dryly. "Cause when you're talking to the girl whose," I swallowed choking but a sob. I would _not _cry in front of Christian. "love her life became a Strigoi, and your soul mate is physically fine and just in the other dorm, along the way my sympathy died."

"And what if Dimitri kissed my aunt and tried to hide it from you?" he asked darkly. I froze, that still was a touchy subject with me.

"That's different," I hissed. "Everyone thinks they would make sense together."

"Oh and you think Lissa and Aaron wouldn't make more sense together than us?" Christian asked. "I'm not stupid Shark girl, I know how people looked at us and what they think about me. I mean it wasn't really love at first sight with us either, it took a while for you to love me too." I snorted, that's one thing we had in common, our egos.

"Yea sure," I rolled my eyes.

"Is that where you were for those weeks you were out of school? Trying to kill him?" he asked curiously. I nodded refusing to look at him. "He really is a totally different guy. I would know," he sighed. "They were completely different when they came back. But the worst part is, it's not like they forget you, they still in some twisted way love you. He tried to change you didn't he?"

I bit my lip, "He tried to convince me." Luckily he didn't ask me how close I was to accepting that offer. He didn't have to.

"You going to try to kill him again?" he asked. "I know you promised you would stick around until graduation."

"Well..." I decided that I trusted him enough. "There's a rumor that Victor's brother has brought a Strigoi back before. Robert Doru, he was a spirit user too. Problem is nobody's heard from the guys in forever."

"Jailbreak huh? Lissa is going to _love _ that," he stated sarcastically.

"She didn't really take it well, but she agreed to help anyway. We may be able to use compulsion to get him to fess up everything he knows." He cocked his head to one side, his jet black hair falling across his face.

"You know you'll need a lot of help with that," he said. The corners of my mouth turned upwards. "Need any extra firepower?"

"You should you and Lissa would be cool?"

"Rose honestly you're like the strange, egotistic, sadistic, older sister I never had… and possibly wanted… What I'm saying is, I'll be helping you out, and I won't let a fight with your other friend," I think both of us flinched when he said 'other friend', "get in the way of that."

"Thanks, I think…" I take the closest things to compliments from Christian when I can. "But we're running out of time, he's coming to change or kill me soon. If we're going to try anything then we need to do that soon."

"Well then," he jumped up. "Call in whoever you think will help us out and who is trustworthy."

"Thanks Christian," I smiled wrapping my arms around his shoulders in a sort of awkward hug. Suddenly I saw the two of us from someone with a perspective of the gym door. Oh and did I mention that there was some boiling rage going on with that?

"Lissa!" I yelled as I saw her sprinting down the hallway.

AN: Please review I write faster when motivated and I have a basic idea of where this story is going but if you have any ideas please share!


	2. Live Like You're Dying

"Lissa!" I yelled sprinting after her. She wouldn't honestly believe… I mean me and _Christian_?! Either Spirit has really gone to her head or she is really defensive right now. As expected, it didn't take long for me to catch up to her as she attempted to make her escape down the stairway. "Lissa," I hissed grabbing her upper arm.

"Let go of me!" she growled making a pitiful attempt to pry my arms off. I've felt more force from leaves in the wind. "Please, let go," she begged staring at me through a curtain of blonde locks.

"Lissa, you can't honestly believe that-" I began before I was cut off by her appalled expression.

"No, I didn't think _that_, I just thought you would be more of the best friend and not…"

"You mean this is where I supposed to ask him if it's because he's gay?" I asked sarcastically. That at least earned me a small smile, a sad one, but at least it's something. She shrugged sadly. "Look, he… he just promised that he would help me, help _us._ We need all the reliable help, we can get." She nodded slowly sighing before her gaze shifted from me to something, or someone directly behind me.

"Speaking of reliable help," she smiled as I groaned. You have got to be kidding me. I whirled around to see Adrian standing behind the two of us, grinning like the Cheshire cat. At times he probably was as high as that cat. "Hey Adrian," Lissa chirped happily. I rolled my eyes, I _so _did not need this right now. "What brings you here?"

"Oh just a lovely damsel in distress," he smirked staring quite obviously at me. Well if he wanted to play, time to use that charm and sarcasm he seemed to love so much.

"Really Adrian? Well I don't see her here, so you better run along and save her. I'm sure she'll love to see you," I smirked.

"Oh if only she wished to be saved," he grinned wickedly. Right, cue the Cinderella song by the Cheetah girls (don't ask, me and Lissa used to be obsessed with them when we were little). "But seriously, what are you three in on that I'm not? You know how left out I can feel with spirit and all…" Bull… Complete bull… And whadda ya know? Lissa's buying it. People always said we are two halves of a whole person. She was the sweet, caring, compassionate side, I was the side that beat the crap out of people when they took advantage of the sweet side. She shot me a pleading glance. Fine I shrugged, gesturing for her to explain. She feels the need to be including, she can proceed.

Lissa took a breath before stepping closer so there was small triangle between the three of us and lower her voice though I doubted anyone could hear, "Supposedly Victor's half brother has brought back a Strigoi before." Adrian's breath caught. He asked to know, can't help it if he wished later he hadn't asked. "We are going to find him, and hopefully bring back Guardian Belikov."

"Before or after graduation?" he asked quickly. I bit my lip, that was a bit of a touchy subject. We defiantly would be more open after graduation to seek out a legendary man, but if I was being hunted, that may speed up the process.

"Probably after," Lissa relented. He visibly relaxed, it wasn't difficult to read his mind then. More time for him to try to change my mind. Not happening. In the immortal words through history, I either was going to do this or die trying. "We still have to find this guy, and that'll be easier after graduation." I nodded staring at the floor. I would love to crusade in, jerk Victor up by his collar, interrogate the guy, maybe use a little compulsion, find this Robert guy, and get ready. All of this waiting around to see what would happen was making me restless. Maybe Dimitri was right, I never would be able to retire to a little house in the mountains until I was too old of a woman to barely move.

"Right, will you need any help with that?" My jaw nearly dropped. Adrian-helping us… to bring back what he considered to be the biggest threat for my affections. I should look out the window to make sure the sky wasn't falling down. Well considering the fact that the sunrise was beginning to show above the horizon through the windows, I doubted the sky was falling.

"Of course! Any spirit users we can get," she grinned from ear to ear. I smiled grimly, I would still have to deal with the consequences of this later, but I suppose it was worth it. He had enough pull in court to be useful, not even considering his spirit abilities.

"Right, well we better be going," I muttered grabbing Lissa and heading down the stairwell.

"Rose wait," he called. I rolled my eyes, why am I not surprised? _Go ahead Rose, I'll catch up with you later,_ Lissa thought to me hopping down the rest of the stairs. I narrowed my eyes, she was so lucky she couldn't read my thoughts. "Rose," he called again. I sighed turning around to stare into his emerald eyes.

"What is it Adrian?" I asked tiredly. I hadn't really had a one on one conversation with him since he came to pick me up from the airport. I was more or less guilty of avoiding him at all costs. "I need to get to class."

"Don't lie to me," he smiled although it didn't quite reach his eyes. They were still filled with a sadness and seriousness I didn't know he had. "We both know that you don't care if you get to class on time," he chuckled softly moving closer. "Rose, you need to let go." We both knew he wasn't talking about class anymore. "You should see yourself, you're going crazy. It's taking over your life," he spoke softly successfully corning me against a wall.

"I love him Adrian, you know that," I whispered.

"Hell, I've known that, but it's taking over your life. Is this what you want? Do you want to spend the rest of your life stalking this sick twisted version of your cradle robbing boyfriend? Better yet, you wanna drag Lissa and fireboy into it too?! Is this really what you want to do with the rest of your life? Or are you planning on ending it early?" he hissed. I stared wide-eyed, I had never seen this side of Adrian. So strangely serious. A retort was on my lips before he said, "Is this what he would have wanted?" Seeing as he struck a nerve, he continued. "Ever thought of that? Maybe he wouldn't want you to waste your life trying to save him. After all wasn't he all die in glory, self-sacrificing and all that crap?"

"And what if I turned Strigoi? Would you honestly just forget about me and move on?" I whispered into his ear. Adrian stopped cold and glared at me.

"I could _never _forget you little dhampir," he sighed running his hands through his hair. "But would you want me to risk my life to free you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Of course not Adrian, you're Moroi. You wouldn't have a chance." He laughed bitterly.

"Think so highly of your fighting skills huh?" he snickered. It sort of went without saying that even without being Strigoi, I could kick him into next month. He sighed sobering up, "Look, I'm just saying, think before you charge in and decide it's all or _nothing_." I tried to ignore the not so subtle offer in his advice.

"I'll keep that in mind," I muttered sarcastically pushing pass him. Second time today that some guy has made me feel like if I was an emotional chick I would be crying in their arms. Take notice of the oh so important _if. _I would rather stake myself than let Adrian think he had gotten the better of me. But then again, he probably already knew. He just was taking a break from being his smart ass self and giving me some peace. At any other time, I would appreciate that more. I jogged down the hallway to the gym, I wasn't in the mood to come up with a witty excuse for being late.

"Ms. Hathway," the teacher began to chastise and right as I entered the doorway the bell rung. Giving him a smirk, I ran up to stand with Eddie. He gave a long winded sigh, "Today class-"

"Excuse me." We all turned around to stare at Alberta in the doorway. "Despite how far we are in the semester, due to circumstances, we have decided to make an exception in our policy and allow a new student into St. Vladmir's. She is a junior this year, but due to her advanced courses before, she will be taking many of the same courses as seniors." My jaw nearly dropped, she couldn't mean… "Students, this is Viktoria Belikov." Behind her, Viktoria appeared, looking fairly uninterested to anyone who didn't know her well. In reality she was nervous… just really good at hiding it. _Just like her brother_, I sighed internally. At last her eyes landed on me, and a smile stretched across her face as she sprinted pass Alberta, thoroughly startling her almost into falling over.

"Rose!" she yelled grabbing me into an embrace. "I'm so sorry for what I said to you, I had no right. I was so stupid! I can't believe it, how can I make it up to you-" she rambled. I laughed slightly breathless patting her on the back.

"Well, you can start by not killing me," I gasped. She blushed slightly leaning back. She mouthed sorry as Alberta began laughing. The guys in my class had that perverted look on their faces whenever girls hugged, our teacher looked pretty startled, and Eddie looked like he was doing everything possible not to laugh. "I'll talk to you after class," I promised her.

AN: Well took me long enough right? Please please please review!


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